Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work

Facts About Antibiotic Resistance

The number of bacteria resistant to antibiotics has increased
in the last decade. Many bacterial infections are becoming resistant to the most
commonly prescribed antibiotic treatments.

Every time a person takes
antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed, but resistant germs may be left to
grow and multiply. Repeated and improper uses of antibiotics are primary causes
of the increase in drug-resistant bacteria.

Misuse of antibiotics jeopardizes the usefulness of essential drugs.
Decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use is the best way to control resistance.

Children are of particular concern because they have the highest rates of
antibiotic use.

Antibiotic resistance can cause significant danger and suffering
for people who have common infections that once were easily treatable with
antibiotics. When antibiotics fail to work, the consequences are longer-lasting
illnesses, more doctor visits or extended hospital stays, and the need for more
expensive and toxic medications. Some resistant infections can even cause death.

Antibiotic Prescribing: Attitudes, Behaviors, Trends & Cost

Parent pressure makes a difference. For pediatric care, a study showed that
doctors prescribe antibiotics 62% of the time if they perceive parents expect
them and 7% of the time if they feel parents do not expect them.1

Antibiotics were prescribed in 68% of acute respiratory tract visits – and of
those, 80% were unnecessary according to CDC guidelines.2

According to NAMCS, the Get Smart Campaign contributed to a reduction in
antimicrobials prescribed for children <5 years in ambulatory care otitis media
(ear infection) visits. In 2007 47.5 antimicrobials were prescribed per 100
visits, down from 61 in 2006 and 69 in 1997.4

Among children younger than 5 years, annual ARTI (acute respiratory tract
infections) visit rates decreased by 17% from 1883 per 1000 population in
1995-96 to 1560 per 1000 population in 2005-06, primarily due to a 33% decrease
in visit rates for otitis media. $1.1 billion is spent annually on unnecessary
adult upper respiratory infection antibiotic prescriptions.5

Get Smart has contributed to 25% reduction in antimicrobial use per
outpatient office visit for presumed viral infections (NAMCS); intervention
studies show a reduction of 8 to 26% for antibiotic prescriptions.6